Composite foam panel housing unit

ABSTRACT

A foam panel housing erection method and utility distribution system is disclosed. Metal skin composite foam panels with matching side joint profiles are structurally engaged side by side. A stud running in the transverse direction of the panel span is secured to the wall near the interior panel side joint using a fastener penetrating through the interior female metal skin profile of the panel on the right side and the interior male metal skin profile of the panel on the left side. The hat shaped stud is secured in position to the panel using a fastener. The interior finish panel is fastened to the lower flange of the stud creating continuous utility distribution cavities in the transverse direction to the panel span. Since the spacing of the stud is in the longitudinal direction of the panel span, uniform stud spacing can be maintained regardless of the panel cover-width.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based on Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.61/467,016, filed Mar. 24, 2011, currently pending.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to foam panel housing construction. Morespecifically, the present invention discloses an effective foam panelhousing erection method and utility distribution system.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A composite foam panel consists of two structural facing skins with astructural foam core sandwiched in between. The facing skins arestructurally bonded to the foam core allowing the two skins to actcompositely by way of shear transfer through the foam core. The panelsare typically produced in a shop by a laminating process or afoamed-in-place process.

The major advantages for a foam panel include the following items.

-   -   1. High strength-to-weight ratio against lateral bending loads        due to the composite action between the two skins.    -   2. Integral foam core with high thermal insulation value.    -   3. High strength against compressive buckling under axial load        due to the bracing effect of the foam core on the structural        stability of the skins.    -   4. High shear diaphragm strength with proper field applied shear        connection along the panel side joint.

Utilizing all the above advantages, a housing unit can be constructedexclusively with multiple composite foam panels without the conventionalbuilding frame system. This type of structure is known as a “FramelessHousing Unit” and has been continuously gaining popularity in thebuilding industry.

To provide the utility distribution system after the erection of thecomposite foam panels, conventionally, the wall or ceiling studs arefastened to the interior panel skin spanning in the longitudinaldirection of the panel span. After all utility lines such as waterpipes, electric cables, telephone cables, and television (TV) cables aresecured within the space between the interior panel skin and the top ofthe studs, interior wall panels such as drywall or wooden panels arethen fastened to the studs to form the finished interior wall surface.

In the above installation process, the following difficulties arecommonly encountered.

-   -   1. Uniform stud spacing is commonly used in the trade without a        pre-engineering layout design while the panel width varies        greatly among manufacturers and within the same manufacturer.        Interference of the panel side joint fasteners with a stud to be        placed over the panel side joint can only be prevented by costly        pre-engineering layout design and field execution.    -   2. For utility lines going in the transverse direction of the        panel span, the studs must be notched or spaced apart in        advance. Notching the studs creates the risk of damaging the        interior panel skin. Spacing apart the studs in advance requires        costly pre-engineering layout design and field execution.

For better structural strength and preventing oil canning problems, mostof the composite foam panels manufactured with the foamed-in-placeprocess have shallow profiles in the interior panel skin. In a casewhere a stud located at the low point, shims are required and theshimming operation significantly reduces the field productivity.

Therefore, there is need for an improved foam panel erection method thatreduces the need for costly pre-engineering layout design and fieldexecution and increases field productivity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To achieve these and other advantages and in order to overcome thedisadvantages of the conventional methods in accordance with the purposeof the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, the presentinvention provides an effective foam panel housing erection method andutility distribution system.

An objective of the present invention is to provide a stud erectionmethod with uniform stud spacing free of interference with panel sidejoint fasteners and is able to accommodate any panel width and profiledinterior panel skin.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a design fordistributing the utility lines freely from a longitudinal direction to atransverse direction and vice versa without notching the studs.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide design anderection procedures for installing the utility lines withoutwire-fishing and coordination between different trades.

These and other objectives of the present invention will become obviousto those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the followingdetailed description of preferred embodiments.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description are exemplary, and are intended toprovide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of theinvention and, together with the description, serve to explain theprinciples of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view drawing illustrating an exterior wall systemportion according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial fragmentary cross-sectional view drawing taken alongline 2-2 of FIG. 1 illustrating a typical panel side joint according toan embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 a is a partial fragmentary cross-sectional view drawing takenalong line 2 a-2 a of FIG. 2 illustrating a typical interior finishedwall with a stud according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a partial fragmentary cross-sectional view drawing taken alongline 3-3 of FIG. 1 illustrating a typical exterior wall corner detailaccording to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 a is an alternative partial fragmentary cross-sectional viewdrawing of FIG. 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a partial fragmentary cross-sectional view drawing taken alongline 4-4 of FIG. 1 illustrating a typical corner detail at the junctureof the side wall and the roof panels according to an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 5 is a partial fragmentary cross-sectional view drawing taken alongline 5-5 of FIG. 1 illustrating a typical roof panel side jointaccording to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a partial fragmentary cross-sectional view drawing taken alongline 6-6 of FIG. 1 illustrating a typical roof ridge detail according toan embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a partial fragmentary cross-sectional view drawing taken alongline 7-7 of FIG. 1 illustrating a typical detail at the juncture of theend wall and the roof panels according to an embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 8 is a partial fragmentary cross-sectional view drawing taken alongline 8-8 of FIG. 1 illustrating a preferred embodiment of the wall basedetail according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of thepresent invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in thedrawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

Refer to FIG. 1, which is an isometric view of an exterior wall systemportion according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the entire housing unit 100 is enclosed withcomposite foam panels. The openings (not shown) for windows and doorsare cut out after the panel erection and installed in variousconventional methods know in the art.

Refer to FIG. 2, which is a drawing illustrating a typical fragmentarycross-section of one embodiment of a typical wall panel side joint takenalong line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, two metal skin composite foam panels 1 with matchingside joint profiles are structurally engaged side by side. A stud 2 ofthe present invention running in the transverse direction of the panelspan is secured in position to the wall at the location near theinterior panel side joint using a fastener 4, for example a screw,penetrating through the interior female metal skin profile 50 of thepanel 1 on the right side and the interior male metal skin profile 51 ofthe panel 1 on the left side.

The interior finish panel 3, for example a dry wall or wooden panel, issecured in position using fastener 5. In the above arrangement, fastener4 is utilized both to secure the stud 2 in position and to structurallyconnect the two adjacent panels 1 along the side joint to transfer theshear in the shear diaphragm action, therefore, the interference problembetween the side joint fasteners and the stud is prevented. Due to thefact that the stud 2 is running in the transverse direction to the panelspan, the locations of fasteners 4 are visually identifiable by the sidejoint locations in the field regardless of the panel cover-width,therefore, no pre-engineering is required.

In addition, in case of a profiled interior panel skin, the stud 2 willbe sit on the high points and bridge over the low gap of the profile,therefore, no shim is required in installing the stud 2.

Refer to FIG. 2 a, which is a partial fragmentary cross-sectional viewdrawing taken along line 2 a-2 a of FIG. 2 according to an embodiment ofthe present invention.

One of the spaced apart studs 2 has the preferable hat shape of thepresent invention and is secured in position to the panel 1 usingfastener 4. The interior finish panel 3 is fastened to the lower flangeof the stud 2 using fastener 5 creating continuous utility distributioncavities 6 and 7 in the transverse direction to the panel span. Sincethe spacing of the stud 2 is in the longitudinal direction of the panelspan, uniform stud spacing can be maintained regardless of the panelcover-width.

Combining the achievements explained for FIG. 2, the first inventiveobjective is accomplished and the present invention provides a studerection method with uniform stud spacing free of interference withpanel side joint fasteners and is able to accommodate any panel widthand profiled interior panel skin.

Refer to FIG. 3, which is a partial fragmentary cross-sectional viewdrawing taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

The two wall panels 1 with the side joint profiles being cut off arebutted together to form an exterior wall corner. The corner insulation14 is installed in the field and the interior corner trim 10 isinstalled to structurally connect the two corner panels 1 using spacedapart fasteners 12. The exterior corner trim 9 with weather seal 13 issecured to the panels 1 using spaced apart fasteners 11. The studs 2 aresecured to the panels with fasteners 4 a and ended at the locationadjacent to the interior trim 10. The interior finish panels 3 aresecured to the studs 2 and butted at the corner to form the interiorfinished corner. In this arrangement, a continuous utility distributioncavity 8 in the longitudinal direction of the panel span is formed.

Reviewing FIG. 3 and FIG. 2 a simultaneously, it becomes apparent thatthe longitudinal utility distribution cavity 8 is naturallyinterconnected with all continuous transverse utility distributioncavities 6 and 7 shown in FIG. 2 a.

As a result, the second inventive objective is accomplished and thepresent invention provides a design for distributing the utility linesfreely from a longitudinal direction to a transverse direction and viceversa without notching the studs.

When the preferred hat-shaped stud 2 as shown in FIG. 2 a is used, thefollowing erection procedures are preferred. After all studs 2 have beeninstalled by the building trade, all utility distribution cavities areopenly accessible. At this stage, all utility trades (water, electric,and communication) can come in to do their work independently withoutwire-fishing. After the completion of the work by all utility trades,the building trade will come back to install the interior finish panels3.

To accommodate the utility outlet boxes, the stud 2 as shown in FIG. 2 acan be designed to have an adequate cavity 6 to house the outlet box orthe outstanding stud flanges and legs can be notched at the outletlocations.

The third inventive objective is accomplished by the above simpleerection procedures and the present invention provides design anderection procedures for installing the utility lines withoutwire-fishing and coordination between different trades.

Refer to FIG. 3 a, which is an alternative partial fragmentarycross-sectional view drawing of FIG. 3 according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

When the building length and width are designed to fit the panelcover-width module, it is possible to fabricate a corner panel withoutan exterior corner trim. The corner panel is fabricated by V-notchingthe interior skin and the entire depth of the foam core without cuttinginto the exterior panel skin and bending the exterior panel skin alongthe notched line. The other details remain the same as explained in FIG.3.

Refer to FIG. 4, which is a partial fragmentary cross-sectional viewdrawing taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1 showing a typical detail at thejuncture of roof panel and side wall panel according to an embodiment ofthe present invention.

The corner member 16 is profiled to inter-connect the roof panel 15 andthe wall panel 1 as well as support the ends of the interior finishingpanels 3. The wall panel 1 is fastened to the member 16 using spacedapart fasteners 17. The roof panel 15 is fastened to the member 16 usingspaced apart fasteners 18 with a clip 19. The interior finishing panels3 are then fastened to the extended flanges of member 16 using spacedapart fasteners 5. In this construction, the shear diaphragm load fromthe roof will be transferred to the top of the side wall.

Refer to FIG. 5, which is a partial fragmentary cross-sectional viewdrawing taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 1 showing a typical roof panel sidejoint according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The roof panels 15 are designed to have over-lapping ribbed side joints.At each panel side joint location, the over-lapped panels 15 are securedto member 16 at the eave location as shown in FIG. 4 and to member 28 atthe ridge location as shown in FIG. 6 using through fasteners 18 withclips 19. Between the eave and the ridge, spaced apart fasteners 20 areused with clips 19 to connect the over-lapped exterior skins along theroof panel side joint. A cover trim 21 is then snapped onto the clips 19to cover the exposed fastener heads along the panel side joint.

The underside studs 2 are secured to the roof panels 15 by the spacedapart fastener 20 penetrating through the engaged interior panel skinsnear the side joint location to form the roof shear diaphragm. Theinterior finishing panel 3 is then fastened to the stud 2 with spacedapart fastener 5.

Refer to FIG. 6, which is a partial fragmentary cross-sectional viewdrawing taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 1 showing a typical roof ridgedetail according to an embodiment of the present invention.

A ridge member 28 is profiled to secure the roof panels 15 on both sidesof the ridge using through fasteners 18 with clips 19 and to secure theends of the interior finishing panels 3 on both sides of the ridge. Theridge member 28 is fastened to a ridge beam or interior partition wall26 using spaced apart fasteners 53 on both sides of 26. A Z-shaped sealtrim 22 with seal 24 is secured to each valley of the exterior roofpanel skin between two adjacent panel ribs to provide an end dam to stopwater infiltration into the ridge area using spaced apart fasteners 23.The ridge gap insulation 27 is field applied and a ridge cover trim 25is fastened and sealed to the top of the panel ribs and the seal trims22 using spaced apart fasteners 29.

As previously explained, the interior finishing panels 3 are fastened tothe extended flanges of ridge member 28 with spaced apart fasteners 5.In this construction, the shear loads on the roof diaphragm can betransferred into the two side wall diaphragms.

Refer to FIG. 7, which is a partial fragmentary cross-sectional viewdrawing taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 1 showing a typical detail at thejuncture of the end wall panel 1 and the roof panel 15 according to anembodiment of the present invention.

The corner connection member 33 is designed to connect to the end wallpanels 1 using spaced apart fasteners 34 and to connect to the roofpanel 15 along the longitudinal panel direction using spaced apartfasteners 35 and at the same time, to secure the interior finishingpanels 3 using spaced apart fasteners 5. The corner insulation 36 isfield applied and a corner trim 30 with seal 31 is fastened to both wallpanels 1 and the edge roof panel 15 using spaced apart fasteners 32.

Refer to FIG. 8, which is a partial fragmentary cross-sectional viewdrawing taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 1 showing a preferred embodiment ofthe wall base detail of the present invention.

A thermally broken aluminum extrusion 37 is fastened to the concretefloor 40 using spaced apart concrete anchors 39. The exterior contactingpoint is caulked to provide water seal 54 and the interior contactingpoint is also caulked to provide air seal 38. The wall panels 1 arestructurally captured within the base extrusion profile. At the panelside joint location along the base extrusion (not shown), fastener 4 isused as shown in FIG. 2 to form the side joint connection. Spaced apartfasteners 55 connecting between the base extrusion 37 and the wallpanels 1 are used to transfer the shear diaphragm load along the wallbase into the concrete anchors 39.

Continuous air seal 56 must be provided between the panel end and thebase extrusion 37. At the butt joint of the segmented base extrusions(not shown), the interior butt joint must be caulked to ensurecontinuous air seal while the exterior butt joint should be left open todrain the water infiltrated into the joint and to pressure-equalize thewater seal 54.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variations can be made to the present inventionwithout departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view ofthe foregoing, it is intended that the present invention covermodifications and variations of this invention provided they fall withinthe scope of the invention and its equivalent.

1. A foam panel housing erection method comprising: engaging a first metal skin composite foam panel and a second metal skin composite foam panel with matching side joint profiles side by side; positioning a stud running in a transverse direction of a panel span of the first metal skin composite foam panel and the second metal skin composite foam panel; securing the stud in a position near an interior panel side joint using a fastener, the fastener penetrating through an interior female metal skin profile of the first metal skin composite foam panel and an interior male metal skin profile of the second metal skin composite foam panel; and securing an interior finish panel in position.
 2. The foam panel housing erection method of claim 1, where the stud is hat shaped.
 3. The foam panel housing erection method of claim 1, where the fastener is a screw.
 4. The foam panel housing erection method of claim 1, where the interior finish panel is secured using a screw.
 5. The foam panel housing erection method of claim 1, where the interior finish panel is fastened to a lower flange of the stud to create a continuous utility distribution cavity in a transverse direction of the panel span.
 6. The foam panel housing erection method of claim 1, further comprising: forming a wall panel by engaging additional metal skin composite foam panels to the first metal skin composite foam panel and the second metal skin composite foam panel and positioning and securing another stud for each additional metal skin composite foam panel.
 7. The foam panel housing erection method of claim 6, further comprising: forming a wall corner by butting two wall panels together and fastening the two wall panels together with interior corner trim on an interior surface of the wall corner.
 8. The foam panel housing erection method of claim 7, further comprising: fastening exterior corner trim with weather seal to an exterior surface of the wall corner.
 9. The foam panel housing erection method of claim 8, where the interior corner trim and the exterior corner trim are fastened using space apart fasteners.
 10. The foam panel housing erection method of claim 1, where, prior to securing the interior finish panel in position, utility wires, cables, and pipes are installed.
 11. The foam panel housing erection method of claim 6, further comprising: forming a roof panel and a wall panel junction by inter-connecting the roof panel and the wall panel with a corner member.
 12. The foam panel housing erection method of claim 11, where the wall panel is fastened to the corner member using spaced apart fasteners and the roof panel is fastened to the corner member using spaced apart fasteners and clips.
 13. The foam panel housing erection method of claim 11, where the interior finishing panel is fastened to extended flanges of the corner member.
 14. The foam panel housing erection method of claim 11, where roof panels have over-lapping ribbed side joints secured to the corner member.
 15. The foam panel housing erection method of claim 1, further comprising: forming a roof ridge by securing roof panels and interior finishing panels on both sides of the roof ridge to a ridge member.
 16. The foam panel housing erection method of claim 6, further comprising: forming a wall base by fastening a thermally broken aluminum extrusion to a concrete floor; and fastening wall panels to the wall base.
 17. A foam panel housing erection method comprising: engaging a first metal skin composite foam panel and a second metal skin composite foam panel with matching side joint profiles side by side; positioning a stud running in a transverse direction of a panel span of the first metal skin composite foam panel and the second metal skin composite foam panel; securing the stud in a position near an interior panel side joint using a fastener, the fastener penetrating through an interior female metal skin profile of the first metal skin composite foam panel and an interior male metal skin profile of the second metal skin composite foam panel; forming a wall panel by engaging additional metal skin composite foam panels to the first metal skin composite foam panel and the second metal skin composite foam panel and positioning and securing another stud for each additional metal skin composite foam panel; and securing an interior finish panel to the wall panel.
 18. The foam panel housing erection method of claim 17, further comprising: forming a roof panel and a wall panel junction by inter-connecting the roof panel and the wall panel with a corner member.
 19. The foam panel housing erection method of claim 17, further comprising: forming a roof ridge by securing roof panels on both sides of the roof ridge to a ridge member.
 20. A foam panel housing erection method comprising: engaging a first metal skin composite foam panel and a second metal skin composite foam panel with matching side joint profiles side by side; positioning a stud running in a transverse direction of a panel span of the first metal skin composite foam panel and the second metal skin composite foam panel; securing the stud in a position near an interior panel side joint using a fastener, the fastener penetrating through an interior female metal skin profile of the first metal skin composite foam panel and an interior male metal skin profile of the second metal skin composite foam panel; forming a wall panel by engaging additional metal skin composite foam panels to the first metal skin composite foam panel and the second metal skin composite foam panel and positioning and securing another stud for each additional metal skin composite foam panel; forming a wall base by fastening a thermally broken aluminum extrusion to a concrete floor; fastening the wall panel to the wall base; forming a roof panel and a wall panel junction by inter-connecting the roof panel and the wall panel with a corner member; forming a roof ridge by securing roof panels on both sides of the roof ridge to a ridge member; and securing an interior finish panel to the wall panel and roof panel. 